The candidates will go on to compete in the final at Corinthia London on 13 January where they will serve high-profile guests from across the hospitality sector.
They will be expected to plan, prepare for, and serve a three-course lunch to a table of four guests, including canapés, champagne and wines, with three dishes served table side and will be judged on their ‘mise en place’, welcome, table service, wine and beverage service; and most importantly, their professionalism, demeanour, social skills and potential.
The winning Scholar of the 2025 Gold Service Scholarship will then be announced at an awards ceremony taking place at Claridge’s in London on 10 February.
The winning finalists are:
• Isabella Condon, junior assistant restaurant manager, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
• Jacob Cranch, restaurant manager, the Tasting Room, Rathfinny Wine Estate, Sussex
• Andrea Di Gangi, assistant restaurant manager, Northall restaurant, Corinthia London
• Valentino Galdi, head waiter, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
• Rogan Galea, assistant manager, the Strathearn, Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire
• Charlotte Hughes, head waiter, the Grill by Tom Booton at the Dorchester, London
• James Kenny, food and beverage duty manager, Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry, South Armagh
• Rebecca Panza, restaurant supervisor, Claridge’s restaurant, London
• Delphine Vielrecobre, head waiter, Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay, London
• Huw Williams, sommelier, the Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
“This has been another exceptional year, so much so that we had to extend the number of semi-finalists and now the final itself includes more candidates than ever before,” says Edward Griffiths, trustee and chair of judges.
“My fellow judges and I are extremely excited for the upcoming final and would like to wish a hearty congratulations to all of the winning finalists.
“Making it to the quarter and semi-finals in the competition is already an exceptional achievement and these candidates have all demonstrated great skill and passion to reach the final. We are very much looking forward to their performance in January and finding out who will be the next Gold Service Scholar.”
The Gold Service Scholarship was launched in 2012 with the aim of inspiring the UK’s up and coming front of house talent through mentoring, study and placement opportunities.